Saudi Arabia Advances Defense Localization Efforts, Aiming for 50% by 2030
Saudi Arabia has reached a significant milestone in its defense localization efforts, achieving close to 25% localization of defense equipment procurement by the end of 2024. This progress is part of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on foreign defense imports. Ahmad Al-Ohali, the governor of the General Authority for Military Industries, announced this development during the World Defense Show. The Kingdom is focusing on building industrial depth and enhancing national readiness by relying more on small- and medium-sized enterprises. The strategy involves forming strategic partnerships with foreign defense companies to foster innovation and knowledge transfer. Key areas of investment include artificial intelligence, electromagnetic spectrum control, and human-machine teaming, which are expected to improve military interoperability. 
